ED 042 654

TITLE,

INSTITUTIONPUB DATENOTE

EDRS PRICEDESCRIPTORS

ABSTRACT

DOCUMENT RESUME

SE 009 803

First Peport to the Governor and Legislature onConservation Education, State of New York TemporaryState Commission on Youth Education in Conservation.New York State legislature, Albany.Mar 7033p.

EDRS Price ME-$0.25 4!C-$1.75*Conservation Education, Ecology, EducationalPrograms, *Educational Resources, *EnvironmentalEducation, Instructional Programs, *ProgramEvaluation, Public Support, *Resource Centers

Included is a review of the current programs forteaching the principles of conservation in New York state, andrecommendations for extension and development of such programs. Boththe federal and state government agencies involved in conservationeducation are considered. A summary is presented for the facilitiesand programs in conservation within the State ConservationDepartment, State Education Department, colleges and universities,and local and regional organizations. A public hearing devoted toconservation problems is briefly summarized with recommendations fornew programs, course content, resources and facilities, and teachereducation. The Commission concludes with 11 unanswered questions,important for future development in conservation education and whichsuggest the direction for further study by the Commission.Bibliography. (PR)

(Ni State of New York

CD TEMPORARY STATE COMMISSION

LUCZ,

ON

YOUTH EDUCATION IN CONSERVATIONS commie Of Hhillf IDDMOD & MUM

OfIKI Of MOON

1,43 DOCumiD1 MiS Illx PIPPODUCID Ditto 11+04 IKE

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FIRST REPORT

TO THE

GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATURE

ON

CONSERVATION EDUCATION

MAltai 970

Serrotcy llortord C. SmithChoir/nal

Mr. Victor A. litchi..Vice-Orgrotori

Mrs. Noncy AirsSecretory 5TA11 Of NSW YOU

TIMPORARY STATE COMMISSION

ONDr. Paul G. Wow YOUTH EDUCATION IN CONSERVATION

foritioles Director10010 111 104JCAT1001 DM.

WRY AT WAXY1000 W14140441TON AVP4UI

11.11A4Y. NEW YOlK 11101TWONONIIi 11111 41/ 4111

To the Hoe. Ralson A. Rockefeller, GovernorMoe. tart W. Srydgee, President Pro Ten of the SenateNoe. Perry S. Duryea, Jr., Speaker of the AssemblyNoe. Meeker' of the Le/Mature of the State ct Key York

COMMI 111014 M DAS AS

44/. Herold J. Goo.Dr. Jolvt I. &eelDr. Jcfro A. GotoftonMr. Georg. ?Mlle, Jr.

Dorthl &naryMr. My% L Stocker

Km. I. Sires! MorroConeressioner of Corurievetion

Hon. Gold I. htyvistCorraehtionior of WW1*"

1 se pleased to transmit this report of the temporary State Camisolesoft Youth ItAucatioa is Conserv/Aim, Is accords/4e with Chapter $14 of the Lew'of 1964.

the inadegvecies of 'Allan progress is cceservation education seed nodocusestatioe. every day the noblest' of New York State are cootroeted withoutdoes, that too salty people have sot teamed to be coecerael about the qualityof their environmeet. Shim eituatioa suet be changed.

The Comaiseire vat directed to sake a study of the current }Souses forteaching the priseiplea of cosieratioe is New York State and to sake recomosedalion. for the extessios and developseet of such pmgreos. the Comalesiosset oftdocatloss. held S. Ilyquiat, sad the Cousiesiceet of Coaservatioe, R. ttmearttither**, have wholeheartedly supported aid uttered Este the work of this Cos-siesta'. Their stateliest" 'sd the statesmen" of stores of interested isdividualethtouehout Kew York State have toefirse4 Ala the Castello* kitty tees it betasits work that there ate so easy server' es4 quick solstices to the problemsof tostervetioe edoeotioe.

The Camisoles boo worked tirelessly lista le Wager its operation relytwo short seethe ego. The aceorplitheosta of the Cosmissios std the "miles"yet to be 'revered are tratlised is the etcompeaylog report.

Vs ere grateful for the oppettosity of tetveisg 'Hastiest es this crucialissue, and we toot forward to playtag ea ileettast tile is the search foraelselose.

leepectfully ?core,

r4eiltele%marl C. WOChatema

State of New York

TEMPORARY STATE COMMISSION

ON

YOUTH EDUCATION IN CONSERVATION

FIRST REPORT TO THE

GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATURE ON

CONSERVATION EDUCATION

MARCH 1970

THE COMMISSION

Senator Bernard C. Smith, ChairmanVictor A. Fitchlee, Vice ChairmanMrs. Nancy Ayers, Secretary

MEMBERS

Harold J. EvansJohn I. GreenJohn A. Gustafson

George Miller, Jr,Daniel SmileyJohn L. Stookey

R. Stewart Kilborne, Commissioner of ConservationEwald B. Nyquist, Commissioner of Education

EX OFFICIO MEMBERS

Earl W. Brydges, President Pro Tem of the SenatePerry B. Duryea, Jr., Speaker of the AssemblyJohn E. Kingston, Major!ky Leader of the AssemblyJoseph Earetski, Minority Leader of the SenateStanley Steingut, Minority Leader of the AssemblyWarren M. Andev:son, Chairman, Senate Finance CommitteeWillis H. Stephens, Chairman, Assembly Ways and Means

CommitteeEdward J. Speno, Chairman, Societe Majority Conference

STAFF

Paul G. Bulger Executive DirectorSamuel D. Wright, Administrative Assistant *Michel Content..,. Research Assistant *Mrs. Joan Johnson Research Assistant *Mrs. Mary Ortale Secretarial Assistant

* part time

STUDENT PROOFREADERS

Lynne G. Lassa. OOOOOO 4400444114111414111114011 *O4NorthPOrt

Craig Mang01...... ......,.......see........AlbanyLouis Peafield.........................SinghaataaDennis Whitehead. ...................East Northport

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The Commission wishes to express its gratefulappreciation to those who attended its hearings; tothose who generously shared kith the Commission theirviews on conservation education; to those who sentpublications ard other materials to the Commission;to the Staff and to Close who provided the facilitiesin which the Commission has accomplished its work.Special thanks are extended to the youth of this Statewho have supported and encouraged the work of thisCommission.

Cemmisstea

Pwpois

PeatHeatless

FIRST REPORT ON CONSERVATION EDUCATION

Nothing the world is so powerlulas an idea whose time has come.

- from Victor Hugo .

Tha time has come for a new emphasis on conserva-

tion education in New York State. To find out how this

new emphasis can hest be realised, the Temporary State

Commission on Youth Education in Conservation was di-

rected by the Legislature to make a study of the current

programs for teaching the principles of conservation in

New York State and to make recommendations for the

extension and development of such programs. It it

important to note that the Commission was not established

to study the need for conservation education. The need

for conservation education is apparent to all who are

aware of our environmental crisis. The Commission's

responsibility is that of deciding what we are going

to do about this educational need.

A major part of this study was accomplished by

means of public hearings in five locations throughout

the State. The response to these hearings, from public

and private groups as well as from individuals, was

gratifying to the members of the Commission. Special

1

efforts were made to encourage the participation of

school and college students. As a result, their in-

volvement was extensive. Many students presented

statements And many others attended as observers. In

some locations, entire classes attended the hearings.

The Commission was impressed by their presence and by

the excellence of the statements which they presented.

Beyond all question, to adults and students alike,

conservation education is of vital concern throughout

New York State.

The source of this concern is the new awareness

of man's harmful effect upon the world in which he

lives. Ecology, the branch of biology concerned with

the interrelationships among organisms and their

environment, has come of age. Specific programs are

underway or are being considered to deal piecemeal

with environmental issues. Only through education

and motivation, however, can man hope to achiev, the

long range goal of living iu harmony with his world.

To consider a person's relationship with his

environment is to confront the fundamentAl social

issues of our day. One cannot separate the problems

of poverty, hunger, drugs, crime. and population

2

from the problem of a decaying environment. For

too many people, they are all part of the same cycle

of misery and despair. No program of conservation

education will be considered complete if it ignores

this sapect of human ecology.

Traditionally, education serves the values of

the society in which it exists, protects those

values, and is the great stabilizing force of that

society. Hore and more frequently in our rapidly

changing world, education is called upon to lead, to

be responsive to new forces, and to marshal its

vast resources to meet the challenges of the present.

This is the case in conservation education today,

redefined in its broads: perspectives as that

education which "makes a person keenly aware of

himself as a person, keenly aware of his environ-

ment, and keenly aware of the choices he cen make

in his relationship to his environment."

In addition to the new and broader definition

of conservation education, a redefinition of the

term "youth" was thought to be desirable for the

purposes of this study. "Youth" would include all

those who are unaware of their responsibilities

toward their environment. A vast public must be

3

reached through educational media. The present

environmental crisis is of such dimensions that it

cannot only await a new generation to grow to maturity

concerned about its responsibilities and equipped to

fulfill them.

4

NotionalLevel

EXISTING PROGRAMS FOR CONSERVATION EDUCATION

The Commission was given information on many of

the programs which currently exist in the field of

conservation education in New York State. Organiza-

tions with educational programs are to be found at all

levels of the public and private sectors. Some pro-

vide resource assistance for planning and curriculum

development; others are directly engaged in educa-

tional activities.

On the level of Federal government, departments

involved in conservation education in some way are

the Departments of the Interior (Bureau of Outdoor

Recreation, National Park Service), Agriculture (Soil

Conservation Service, Cooperative Extension, Forest

Service), and Health, Education and Welfare (Office of

Education). Assistance for private conservation-

oriented organizations, for community development

projects, and for curriculum planning is available

from these departments, all of which profess to an

awakening interest in environmental education and an

awareness of the present urgency.

Among the foregoing, the Cooperative Extension

Service, in its 4-H Division especially, has perhaps

5

been the most directly involved in youth conservation

education. It has utilized the resources of local,

State, and Federal government units to conduct field

days and teacher training programs. Almost 40,000

students from public and parochial schools were pro-

vided with field days in 1969. It has also been

active in the planning of a regional, decentralized

conservation center in Rockland County as a project

under Title III of the Elementary and Secondary

Education Act of 1965.

Federal programs under Title I of the Higher

Education Act of 1965 and Title III of the Elementary

and Secondary Education Act have had some effect on

conservation education in New York State despite fund-

ing limitations. Project R.A.C.E. (Regional Approach

on Conservation in Education), sponsored by the Ilion

Central School District, is another example of a Title

III undertaking. Four counties are served by this

project, which offers teacher workshops, resource

materials, bulletins, in-service courses, and an out-

door, live-in program for students from ten to thirteen

years of age at the Rogers Conservation Center in

Sherburne. Year-round facilities for student over-

night trips are now available and are being expanded.

6

Stets

Level

Nationally, there are many non-governmental

societies and associations with branches in New York

State. The National Audubon Society, the Sierra Club,

the Society of American Foresters, the Girl Scouts,

and the Boy Snouts of America are only a very few from

a long list. These groups have a commitment to conser-

vation education, and many have taken steps locally to

offer their resources and assistance for improving and

expanding education in keeping with the new goal of

achieving environmental quality. Improvement of local

library material, curriculum development, and outdoor

workshops are some of the many activities in which these

groups have recently been engaged.

On the State level, responsibility for conservation

is divided primarily between the Conservation Department

and the Education Department. The Department of Health

is also involved in public education on certain environ-

mental issues. The New York State Conservation Council,

the New York State Outdoor Education Association, the

New York State Soil and Water Conservation Districts

Association, and the New York State Fish And Wildlife

Management Board are among other State groups, both

public and private, with an interest in conservation

education and with resources at their disposal.

7

Conservation

Deportment

Education

Deportment

The New York State Conservation Department, Divi-

sion of Conservation Education, provides information

and education concerning all aspects of natural resource

management including outdoor education and recreation.

The emphasis of their program is on publications, audio-

visual materials, regional conservation educators (two

established out of nine proposed), regional conservation

education centers (one established out of eight proposed),

boys' conservation education camps (three established

out of four proposed), teacher training, hunter safety

training, and specialized exhibits. Proposed expansion

of these programs covers an increase in the distribution

of materials and the establishment of all proposed

positions and facilities mentioned above.

The New York State Education Department has, at

present, integrated some degree of conservation educa-

tion into the science curriculum at all levels, from

kindergarten through grade 12. It provides materials

for use by schools on Conservation Day. This year it

has offered its support to the National Environmental

Teach-in planned for April 22. The Education Depart-

ment, aware of the necessity for new approaches in

conservation education, has recently established an

Environmental Education Task Force which cuts across

8

unit lines, in the hope of developing a program which

will permeate the entire school program.

Many colleges and universities are involved in

programs that deal with environmental issues, both in

the classroom and in the community. As an example,

the State University of New York at Albany has developed

an experimental course called the Environmental Forum

and has developed the first television course in the

area of environmental studies. The Department of

Atmospheric Sciences and the Atmospheric SciencesHigher

Education Research Center at the State University of New York at

Albany has carried out research and educational pro-

grams for several years. Similarly, the Extension

Department of the College of Agriculture at Cornell

University has been using the Forestry Experiment

Station at Arnot Forest to provide teacher training

workshops. Elsewhere in higher education in our state

there is evidence that professional and technical

colleges and schools directly in the field are becoming

more aware of their responsibilities in this area.

Regional

Level

At the regional and local levels, some of the

existing programs in conservation education are spon-

sored by citizen groups such as ACTION for Preservation

9

and Conservation of the North Shore of Long Island,

the Long Island Environmental Council, SCOPE (a

cooperative effort serving Suffolk County), and the

Susquehanna Conservation Council (Broome County).

Individual schools have developed interesting and

innovative courses in environmental problems. The

Heldeberg Workshop in Voorheeaville is a unique

approach in education, already incorporating new

techniques in teaching ecology and conservation to

reach all age levels, both in the classroom and in

their outdoor center.

In summary, the Commission has been informed of

the many approaches to conservation education that

exist in the State. Facilities for outdoor education

for teachers and students are available in some areas

of the State; resource material and personnel can be

obtained through many interested groups both public

and private. The overall impression is that good

things are being done, but there is no uniform excel-

lence of program that reaches all parts of the State

and ill types of school systems. Nor can we be sure

that the emphasis in the existing activities is on

the new concept of conservation education which includes

the total environment.

10

Urgency

PUBLIC REACTION TO THE EXISTING PROGRAMS

Despite the limited time available to undertake

its study, the Commission feels that it has stimula-

ted a great deal of interest and has received a wide

sampling of public and private opinions among both

those knowledgeable in the fields of conservation,

ecology, and education, and those interested in

preserving their environment. Hearings sere held in

Niagara Falls on January 15, 1970, in Stony Brook on

January 22, in Binghamton on February 5, in New York

City on February 12, and in Albany on February 19.

Altogether, 114 statements were presented at these

hearings. As previously indicated, many high school

and college students attended and participated in the

hearings. Some general observations may be made.

First of all, the theme of urgency in regard to

the crisis in our environment was repeatedly stressed.

Many of the participants, both young and old, felt

that there was not enough time to effect change through

traditional educational methods. Crash programs were

recommended, with an emphasis on action oriented pro-

grams.

11

Fragmentation

Secondly, the consensus of the opinions and

observations gathered was that conservation education

has not been adequately developed in New York State,

despite some good individual programs. Efforts in the

field have been fragmentary and some have been oriented

toward what are considered as outmoded ideas of

conservation.

Third, many participants felt that any new approach

in conservation education must stress the importance of

changing present value systems. In order to gain the

greater good of a world still habitable, new generations

must be instilled with the desire to forego many of the

things which have previously been considered highly

Volvos desirable. They must learn that man is responsible for

his environment. Adult value systems, too, were con-

sidered the consumer will have to pay for the fight

to save our environment. Only through intensive educa-

tional means and motivation can this value orientation

be produced. The Commission was reminded that

"the man who wants to change the world must first change himself'

- from the 1968 Mohonk Consultations with

International Students sponsored by The Mohonk Trust.

12

Responsibility

Approaches

Many specific recommendations were offered to

lift conservation education in New York State to the

high level deemed necessary for the present critical

situation. The recommendations were varied and some-

times contradictory.

One group of suggestions dealt with the responsi-

bility for conservation education. Some speakers felt

that the State Education Department should have sole

responsibility for developing a program of environ-

mental education and that a new unit should be created

within the Department for this purpose. Others believed

that the Conservation Department must continue to play

an important role. Some urged the creation of a new

central agency to coordinate all efforts in conservation

education. Still others expressed the view that the

colleges and universities should make the major thrust

in environmental education.

A second group of suggestions, by far the largest

in number, was concerned with Frond approaches to con-

servation education. Many speakers felt that some type

of conservation education program should be mandated at

all levels. There was no agreement, however, as to

13

which would be better, a separate, interdisciplinary

course in conservation or the teaching of conservation

within existing courses. Other speakers felt that

curriculum changes should be made but that conservation

education should not be mandated. Those who expressed

this view urged the utilization of local potential for

administration and curriculum development.

Many speakers stressed the need for immediate action

directed primarily at adults. They urge,' a Statewide

program of public seminars, run by a combination of

local government and schools, using State personnel as

consultants. They urged a multi-media approach, using

television, radio, newspapers, and magazines.

Yet, other persons attending these hearings

suggested that a research program should be instituted

to study efforts being made elsewhere in this field,

to establish pilot programs, to find out how young

people become concerned about environmental issues,

and to evaluate more accurately the outcomes of

existing programs.

The Commission's attention was directed to

pending Federal legislation which would assist states

14

Course

Content

in conservation education by ending the fragmentation

of efforts in this field, establish a nationwide policy

of financial support, and coordinate the activities at

other levels of government. A few speakers urged that

colleges establish majors in Environmental Quality and

Outdoor Education and that graduate degrees in Ecology

should be awarded. Many emphasized the need to seek

and encourage innovative approaches to conservation

education.

A third group of suggestions had to do with the

content of courses or units in conservation education*

Here, the major emphasis was on broadening the concept

of conservation, even replacing the term "conservation

education" with the term "environmental education".

Some urged that the stress be placed on human environ-

ments, on the ecology of thl city, on population control,

on consumer education, or on lobbying for legislation.

Some of the speakers suggested that outdoor educa-

tion should be provided to all students at all levels.

The importance of localizing conservation education

was brought out, and the suggestion was made that con-

sultants visit each school district and educational

15

setting to diagnose and prescribe materials applicable

to each situation. A few speakers felt strongly that

the aesthetic qualities of conservation must receive

attention.

If there was agreement on any recommendation, it

was that the emphasis in conservation education must

be on values and attitudes, the values and attitudes

which will result in the maintenance and improvement

:f environmental quality.

A fourth group of suggestions made at the hear-

ings dealt with the resources and facilities for

Rat ones conservation education. Some speakers felt that themi

iiliie State should provide funds for materials, and matching

funds to encourage school districts to acquire land

for outdoor education programs.

Many speakers addressed their remarks to the need

for additional Conservation Department centers like

the Rogers Center at Sherburne. Some suggested that

every State park, State forest, and large campsite

should be a conservation education center, staffed

with a full-time conservation educator. Still others

recommended that boards of Cooperative Educational

lb

Timelier

tisanes

Services be utilized to operate environmental centers.

The suggestion was also made that outdoor workshops

could be created on existing school grounds where land

acquisition is a problem, and that school plants should

reflect model environmental qualities.

The large number of publications and audio-visual

materials now available from a variety of sources led

to the suggestion that a clearinghouse or information

center should be established. Also, some speakers felt

that library resources in environmental problems must

be improved and updated.

In regard to personnel, the suggestion was made

that the community colleges assign a staff member t,

help with local problems in conservation education and

that county environmental councils and county natura-

lists be encouraged.

A fifth and final group of suggestions centered

around conservation education for teachers. Some felt

that two or three courses in environmental education,

including a field course, should be required of all

beginning teachers. Others felt that certification

requirements should be established fowl new interdis-

ciplinary specialty in environmental education.

11

A great variety of recommendations was made con-

cerning the in-service education of teachers. Some

speakers urged that all teachers be required to attend

conservation workshops. Others suggested that these

workshops be available to all teachers on an optional

basis. Still others maintained that conservation

workshops be limited to teachers of science and other

fields concerned with environmental problems.

1$

COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS

The Commission recommends that an agency be

established to coordinate the use of existing res..,urces

and facilities for conservation education. An im-

pressive variety of materials is available, and many

organizations have special facilities at their disposal.

However, these resources are not being effectively

utilized because there is no single agency equipped to

assist schools in finding appropriate publicatious,

audio-visual materials, and outdoor laboratories, and

to help arrange for transportation.

In making this recommendation, the Commission af-

firms its belief that conservation education must be

concerned with the total human environment. Indoor

education must be balanced by outdoor education. Con-

servation education cannot be effective if it is confined

to the classroom.

The short period during which the Commission has been

in existence has not been characterized entirely by study

and discussion. As noted earlier, the State Education

Department has already established an Environmental

Education Task Force to upgrade environmental education

in elementary and secondary schooli, and the Conservation

19

Department has outlined its plans to create additional

facilities and positions for conservation education.

The Education Department has indicated its intention of

developing new conservation education materials aimed at

various grade levels for distribution during the 1970-71

school year, and it is considering a crash program of

in-service teacher orientations to acquaint all teachers

with ways in which they can aid the cause of conservation

education. The Conservation Department has also been

active in the field of in-service education for teachers.

The Commission believes that the following questions

have yet to be answered:

1) Shall conservation education be mandatedin the curriculum of New York StateSchools?

2) Shall separate courses of study in con-servation be established at all levels,from kindergarten through grade 12?

3) What aspects of conservation educationshould be stressed in required or electivecourses?

4) Shall teacher certification requirements bechanged to include conservation education?

5) Shall those presently teaching be requiredto take in-service training in this field?

6) What are the best means of producing thechange in value patterns necessary to solvetoday's environmental problems?

20

7) What are the best means of reaching urbanstudents with environmental studies?

8) What are the best means of reaching theadults in the community with new conceptsin environmental quality?

9) Are special efforts needed to provide conser-vation education for girls?

10) How can the concern of youth and their desirefor prompt action be most effectively utilizedin developing programs of conservation educa-tion?

11) What are tilt factors which may inhibit thedevelopment of conservation education programs?

Further study is required before the Commission can

make additional recommendations to the Governor and the

Members of the Legislature. The questions listed above

indicate the directions which this study will take. The

Commission plans to visit the sites of proposed conser-

vation education centers) such as the Csumsett site; to

investigate the conservation education programs of other

states and nations; to expand its advisory committee to

include students; and to take whatever steps are necessary

to resolve the issues which have been isolated. The

Commiasion is committed to action in finding positive,

innovative approaches to conservation education so that

each generation to come may inherit a more livable

environment.

21

SELECTED REFERENCES

Air Pollution. Albany: State Education Department,1966.

Ambassador's Guide (ABATES: Ambassadors to BringAction through Environmental Study). Albany:Department of Health, 1969.

An Outline fcr Teaching Conservation in ElementarySchools. Washington: Soil Conservation Service,1966.

An Outline for Teachin: Conservation in Hi :h Schools.Washington: Soil Conservation Service, USDA, 1966.

A Teacher's Packet for Conservation Information andEducation. Albany: Department of Conservation.

Available Publications in Outdoor Education. Riverhead:Suffolk County 4H.

Ayers, Nancy (Editor). Selected Conservation Biblioh-raphx. Endvell: Susquehanna Conservation Council,1969.

Brennan, Matthew T. People and Their Environment(Curriculum Guide to Conservation Education).Chicago: J. G. Ferguson, 19690

Conservation Tools for Educators. Washington: ForestService, USDA, 1968.

Carder, Thelma (Editor). How to Teach WildernessConservation. San Francisco: San Francisco BayCahpter of the Sierra Club, 1965.

Creative Learning Experiences in Conservation. (Re-printed from Soil Conservation, Vol. 33, July1;684 Washington: Soil Conservation Service,USDA, 1968.

Darcy, C. H. Conservation, (Educational Leaflet Ho,Alr-Frat State Education Department, 1962.

Director of Environmental Education Facilities. HewYorks National Audubon Society, 1969.

Education and Outdoor Recreation, Washington: Departsent of the Interior, 1968.

Environmental Education (A new journal of research anddevelopment in conservation communications). Vol.1, Numbers 1 (Fall 1969) and 2 (Winter 1969).

Environmental Quality: The Recommendations of thePresident's Council on Recreation and NaturalBeauty. Albany: Natural Beauty Commission,1968.

Hunter, Donald C. and Henry C. Wohlers (Eds.) AirPollution Experiments for Junior and Senior HighSchool Science Classes. Pittsburgh: Air Pollu-tion Control Association, 1968.

Kaskoun, Richard W. Environmental Resource and StudyArea Catalog. Ilion: Project R.A.C.E., 1970.

Portfolio on Nature Centers and Outdoor EducationAreas. New York: National Audubon Society.

Report of the Citizens' Advisory Committee on Environ-mentalQuality. Washington: The Committee, 1969.

Selected References for Teachiqg Conservation. Albany:State Education Department, 1968.

Teachiqg Soil and Water Conservation. Washington: SoilConservation Service, USDA, 1964.

The Conservationist. (Published bi-monthly by New YorkState Conservation Department).

The World Around You. (Natural Resources EducationalPacket). New York: The Garden Club of America.

Water Pollution. Albany: State Education Department,1967.

Han and His Environment. Harry F. Betros (Editor)Staten Island: High Rock Park Conservation Center,1969.

Temporary State Commissionon Youth Education in Conservation

STATE OF NEW YORK

976

1969.1970 Regular Sessions

IN SENATE(Profiled)

Jar:spry 8, 1969

Introduced by Mr. B. C. SMITHread twice and ordered printed, andwhen printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance

AN ACT

Creating a temporary state commission to make a study of the teach-ing of the principles of conservation in New York state and tomake recommendations relating thereto and rnakint, on appropriationfor the expenses of such commission

The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate andAssembly, do enact as follows:

Section 1. A temporary state commission is hereby created to beknown as the temporary state commission on Youth Education inConservation. The commission shall make a study of the currentprogram for teaching the principles of conservation in New Yorkstate and to make recommendations foe the extension and develop-ment of such programs.

2. The commission hereby created shall consist of eleven citi-zens of the state, of whom three shall be appointed by the temporarypresident of the senate, three by the speaker of the assembly andthree to be appointed by the governor, and the commissioner of edu-cation and the commissioner of conservation. Such members of thecommission shall serve at the pleasure of the officer making theappointment. The commission shall have the power to elect from itsrnerr&rs, a chairman, vice-chairman and a secretary. Vacancies inthe membership of the commission and among its officers shall betilled in the manner provided for original appointments.

3. The commission may employ and at pleasure remove suchpersonnel as it may deem necessary for the performance of its func-tion and fix their compensation within the amounts made available byappropriation therefor.

4. The commission may meet within and without the state, holdpublic or private hearings, and shall have all the powers of a legis-lative committee pursuant to the legislative law.

5. Th.' members of the commission shall receive no compensationfor their services but shall be allowed their actual and necessaryexpenses incurred in the performance of their duties hereunder.

6. The commission may request and shall receive from any department, division, board, bureau, commission or agency of the stateor any political subdivision thereof such facilities, assistance anddat as it deems necessary or desirable to carry out properly itspowers and duties hereunder.

I 7. The commission shall make reports to the governor and thelegislature on the progress of its work not later than March thirty-first, nineteen hundred seventy. It shall include in its reports suchrecommendations for revision, modernization end simplification of theEducation Law and Conservation Law as it may deem necessary ordesirable.

8. The sum of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000), or so much thereofas may be necessary, is hereby appropriated from any moneys in thestate treasury in the general fund to the credit of the state purposesfund, not otherwise appropriated, and made immediately available tothe temporary state commission for its expenses, including personalservice, in carrying out the provisions of this act. Such moneys shallbe payable out of the state treasury o,i the audit and warrant of thecomptroller on vouchers certified or approved by the chairman orvice-chairman of the commission or by an officer or employee of thecommission designated by the chairr.van.

9. The provisions of this act shall continue in full force andeffect until March thirty-first, nineteen hundred seventy.

S 10. This act shall take effect immediately.

1

ADVISORY COMMITTEE

William E. Andrews Syosaett

Jerome Bartow New York

George Broadwell Ithaca

Harlan Brumsted Ithaca

Willard F. Croney Ithaca

Theodore E. Eckert Buffalo

William A. Fullagar Rochester

W. Theodore Hebel Syracuse

Ray Hoemke Williamsville

Joseph Lindenmayer Herkimer

Edgar M. Reilly, Jr. Albany

Robert Rienow Albany

James H. Righter Buffalo

Richard L. Robinson Ransomville

Irwin Rosenstein Albany

John A. Weeks Sherburne

Earl Westervelt Clarksville

State of New York

TEMPORARY STATE COMMISSION

ON

YOUTH EDUCATION IN CONSERVATION

N.Y.S. SENATOR BERNARD C. SMITH, Chairman